Seek God First

The best thing we can do as a Christian is to follow Jesus. Really, if we say we are Christian, then it must mean something to us. So why not live out your faith in life also. Don’t just wear a cross necklace, but lay yourself at the feet of the cross, where Jesus can cleanse you of all your sins. Don’t just go to church and worship Him there, but allow Jesus to make a home inside of you each day of your life. Then, will you learn to praise Him by your words and your actions in His kingdom. Even as Jesus said, ¹“when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.” (Matthew 6:3) Instead, pray out to God like you would when you talk to your best friend. In doing this, you will gain a beautiful relationship with the Lord while in prayer. Remember that Jesus said, ¹“but when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” (Matthew 6:7,8) Therefore, don’t memorize prayers in order to recite them to God later on, but speak to Him out of your heart. Open up to Him, and He will open up to you. Doing this, you will soon discover God in a new way. He hears the prayers of people that are truly seeking Him.

Remember that the best things in life come from God and not what we can or others can do for us. So seek God’s hand in all that you do. As Jesus said, ¹“lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) Truly, the blessings from God is much better than things we can have physically in our possession. You will know this when the Holy Spirit is moving in your life and everything is now better because God is in it. Lastly, listen and obey what Jesus said last in this chapter. He said, ¹“seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6:33,34) If you just remember to seek God every day, then You will be blessed. The Lord will be with you, and even your sinful nature will be removed until You are given clean hands. So remember to pray often, read the Bible daily, and listen and do God’s will. This is seeking God first.

Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I pray that myself and others will discover You in an entirely new way. I am praying for salvation for every person that is now seeking Your hand and desires to be delivered from the current lifestyle they are in. So please come and direct their lives, as You direct mine. Help them discover what true joy is really like. When they find out what the Holy Spirit can do for them, then they will not want to turn back into their old way of living. In their brokenness, they will find out that You are merciful and kind. You have not forsaken us, but have willingly brought us into Your kingdom, that You may help us find the way. Thank You for extending Your arms of mercy out to me and for allowing me to be forgiven. I was once so far from You, but still You saw through what I was doing and saw my potential. Thank You, Lord. You have given me eyes to see and ears to hear You, and I rejoice just knowing that I am now safe. Even when the storms of life come my way, I know that You will be there by my side to help me through it all. I believe in You, Lord. Please forgive me for my sins this day. May I walk in Your light and be guarded against the enemy at all times. I need You every day, Lord. So please help me stay on course. I give You my whole life to serve You. Have Your way in me. I love You. Amen.

Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.

Matthew 6

¹Matthew 6 (KJV)
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.